Time

Since school I've started to realize again how much I actually want to do.

I love reading, relaxing, playing music, cooking, chatting it up with friends, going to the movies, listening to awesome bands, baking, gardening, taking walks, laundry... and the list goes on and on. There are so many things my time and attention can be sucked into - and really - I don't think much of it's "bad." But this season of life is full, and I need to pick what I do with extra care. I know everyone is busy but I just want to put my schedule down here for a week:

Work: 20-35 hours

School: 20 hours

Homework: 20 hours

Commute: 8-10 hours

Sleep: 56 hours

Church: 3 hours

Exercise: 5 hours

Cleaning: 4 hours

That's between 126 and 153 hours of time commitment per week! Which means on a busy week I literally only have 15 "free" hours for the week. (I write "free" because those hours aren't fully free - after all - I need to fit showers, and eating, and getting dressed, and feeding the cat, and visiting my newest niece, and... and... and...)

I don't know exactly how to make everything work all the time - but I'm seriously grateful for the school and work in my life right now. I'm trying to figure out how I can open up my schedule a bit. I don't want to live a life that's too busy. Because I know I'm building habits today - they will last my lifetime. And I serve a God who is not too busy - I'd like to figure out a way to reflect that better.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions for making that happen in my life? 

Baby Shower Invites

I am working on Baby Shower Invites for my sister Ivanna and Keziah (her daughter). Some of you dear friends are invited, and some aren't. It's awful making lists and knowing that there isn't a location large enough to have every person you know and love attend.

I wanted to hand make the invitations. I made a number of invitations for Ivanna and Adam's wedding - which was really fun. They turned out great. Then, I had made a large amount of paper and used it. Very cool.

I don't have my paper making stuff anymore. (Rehomed to a good friend.) So I bought cardstock. I didn't plan far enough in advance and had to pay $0.99 per page. I cut them into 1/4's, so that makes 10 sheets. $9.90.

I printed 40 pictures at $0.13 for a total of $5.20

Envelopes were also not well planned and I had to buy 100, even though I needed less than half that amount. $9.95.

Stamps are $0.45. Times 40 that equals $18 solid dollars.

I also got two pens and glue. Pens were $1.95 each and glue was $2.95, for a total of $6.85.

Grand Total: $49.90 divide that by 40 and you get about $1.25 per invitation.

I also wrote around 209 letters/symbols per invitation for a grand total of 8360 letters - not including addressing.

But the point is, I feel pretty content with them!

Loving Jesus at School

I love Jesus. And that's something I never try to hide, minimize or stifle. It's also not something I push, punishes, or condemn with either. And most of the time, it's easy. It works.

So I was surprised today at school when it wasn't easy.

I am taking an informative class from one of my favorite teachers at Cabrillo. She is fair, dedicated and organized. All the elements that make a learning situation ideal for me. I know the world isn't always ideal - so when it fit in my schedule to take two classes with the same teacher - I snapped it up.

However, the Woman's Studies class is difficult. We talk about painful and sad topics. And discuss issues that have polarized views. Most often it's done with respect and kindness. With honest passion - but listening ears and hearts. And I love it.

I want to understand other people better. I want to know why someone thinks something different than I do. Not because I don't know what to think or believe, but because I want to know and love people. And having a better understanding of what someone else believes is beneficial for me - and them. It's a total win-win. (Can you tell I love it?)

We broke into small groups today and were talking about the midterm paper we're going to write. Someone in my group started talking about another class she is taking and something or other lea her to an impassioned speech about how only an ignorant moron could believe in creationism. How that sort of person is closed off and not open to new ideas. How the belief prevents real education for occurring etc. etc. etc. When it was my turn to speak I looked at her and said something to the effect that any idea we have, regardless of what it is, impacts the way we see the world.

She returned with, but those people are morons! I smiled and said that I was a creation-scientist. She stopped and awkwardly looked at me. I wasn't mad, at all. But what do you say? I smiled, hoped it didn't offend, and slightly awkwardly, returned to my work. But I could tell it rubbed up against this classmates ideas and feelings. Seriously, what do you say?

The thing is, I'm not a moron. I've thought about this question - and the answer that best fits is: this earth was made by a knowable God in the not so distant past. Everything I've read, seen and woven together makes that story make the most sense to me. And I'm okay knowing that I wasn't there so I'm taking this on faith.

Many people I know and respect don't hold this view. My father for example is an old earth creationist. My mom told me she doesn't really know or care much. I have friends who sit in all different squares. But we're all trying to make sense of something that is in many respects unprovable, unknowable.

I'm going to keep trying to be who I am. I love Jesus. And that I'm never going to hide.

Catch Up

So many things have happened...

Keziah Lynn Rook was born two weeks ago.

Lis and the children came to visit!

Becky and Jim came too. 

Isaiah joined Lis and kids for a weekend.

My little Clubhouse was semi-finished.

My car broke down. 

I got the stomach flu.

Peoples here got the head cold.

I worked somewhere in there.

And midterms happened too.

It was crazy. And fun. And I'm so glad it happened.